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Cnotes Wednesday's Best Bets NCAAB-NBA-NHL !

Road Test Wednesday For NCAA Basketball Elite

The Wednesday college basketball schedule has four teams from the top-10 and all will try to avoid getting tripped up on the road.

Road teams have actually covered at a higher rate (51.4 percent) than home teams (48.6 percent) this season. However, road favorites come in lower at 49.8 percent and all four ranked teams should be in that category on Wednesday. These are also all conference games where anything can happen, even an outright upset.

No. 1 Syracuse Orange at Villanova Wildcats - 7:00 p.m. (ET)

Syracuse (17-0 straight up, 11-5 against the spread) has owned the top ranking for almost a month after the December 10 ‘black Saturday’ that saw Ohio State lose at Kansas and Kentucky fall at Indiana. The Orange are deep and 3-0 SU and ATS in true road games this year (the ‘over’ 3-0). Two of those were in the Big East where they went 6-3 SU and 5-4 ATS away last year.

The Wildcats (8-8 SU, 3-10 ATS) were considered a top-35 team in preseason rankings, but haven’t come close to that billing. They did get a big home win (87-71) and cover over DePaul on Sunday and are 2-2 ATS in the Big East after going 1-8 ATS outside. The ‘over’ is 4-0 in their last four games, with their overall scoring defense (68.8 PPG) second-worst in the conference.

The away team won and covered both Syracuse and Nova meetings last year and the underdog is 7-2 ATS in the last nine. The ‘over’ is 4-1 in the last five.

No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats at Auburn Tigers - 8:00 p.m. (ET)

Kentucky (15-1 SU, 3-11-1 ATS) is probably the most talented team in the nation, but is an incredible 0-11-1 ATS in its last 12 games with a number after starting 3-0 ATS. Large spreads have played a big part with only one less than 21 points the last seven games. This is the first SEC road game for the Wildcats after going just 2-6 SU and ATS last year.

The Tigers (10-5 SU, 2-5 ATS) are a perfect 9-0 SU at Auburn Arena, although the competition has been easy with only two games warranting a spread (1-1 ATS). Auburn is offensively challenged overall (66.2 PPG, ranked 217th) and got blown out in its last two games at Vanderbilt (65-35) and Florida State (85-56).

Auburn is 3-0 ATS in the last three games against Kentucky, all as double-digits dogs, including one at home. The ‘under’ is 4-0 in the last four meetings.

No. 9 Missouri Tigers at Iowa State Cyclones - 8:00 p.m. (ET)

The Tigers (14-1 SU, 6-4 ATS) are still smarting from their 75-59 loss at Kansas State on Saturday as 1-point favorites. It was the first time the nation’s fourth-ranked scoring offense (84.4 PPG) was held under 75 points. It was also their first Big 12 road game and they struggled badly away in the conference last year (1-7 SU, 2-6 ATS) with the only win ironically at Iowa State (76-70).

Iowa State (12-3 SU, 6-5 ATS) has won seven games in a row and started to even receive some votes for the top-25 polls. Six games during the winning streak were at home and included covers over Iowa (86-76 as 8 ½-point favorites) and Texas (77-71 as 2-point underdogs). The Cyclones definitely want to slow this game down and keep the score in the 70s.

The ‘under’ is 4-0 in the last four meetings between Iowa State and Missouri.

No. 10 Kansas Jayhawks at Texas Tech Red Raiders - 9:00 p.m. (ET)

Kansas (12-3 SU, 8-6 ATS) is another Big 12 team like Missouri that is trying to prove it can compete with No. 4 Baylor. The Jayhawks have won five straight games (3-1 ATS) since a shocking home loss to Davidson on December 19. Included was a 67-49 win over rival Kansas State. The ‘under’ is 4-0 in the last five games with the defense clamping way down (49.8 PPG).

The Red Raiders (7-7 SU, 3-7 ATS) look like they’re in for another long season. However, they were able to get a home cover over Baylor last Saturday in a 73-60 defeat as 14-point ‘dogs. That was just a 4-point deficit with under six minutes remaining. Texas Tech is another offensively challenged team (66.6 PPG) and the ‘under’ is 7-2 in its last nine with totals.

Texas Tech lost (88-66) and failed to cover at home versus Kansas last year, but was 3-0 SU and ATS the prior three in Lubbock, each as underdogs.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

NBA betting fans of the Orlando Magic got some good news on Tuesday, as superstar Dwight Howard expects to stay in Orlando for the entire season. Though it could turn out to be terrible news for the Magic when it is said and done over the course of the next several years if Howard just leaves via free agency, at least for this season, he seems conceded to the fact that he will be playing at Mickey Mouse’s house.

Orlando is in the midst of a West Coast swing that continues Wednesday night with a visit to the Rose Garden against the Portland Trail Blazers. Don’t be surprised if this one turns out to be a low scoring game, as the Magic are 3-2 towards the ‘under’ in their last five, while Portland is 4-1 for ‘under’ backers in its last five.

The Trail Blazers have been remarkable against Orlando regardless of where the game is being played. They have won three in a row SU and ATS. To further support the total, the last four have stayed ‘under’ in this series, and none of those games have reached even 190 points.

Tip time in Portland is set for 10:00 (ET), and the game can be seen on Sun Sports and KGW.

The hottest team in NBA betting action right now is Philadelphia. The Sixers are 6-2, and they have won and covered five games in a row. They are the surprising leaders of the Atlantic Division, and they can extend their lead in the division on Wednesday if they can beat the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Since the start of the 2010 calendar year, Philadelphia has only gone 2-5 SU and 1-6 ATS against the Knicks though, and there is definitely a lot to overcome for the boys from the City of Brotherly Love. This one tips off at 7:30 (ET), and television coverage is set for Comcast Sports and MSG.

On the other end of the spectrum are the Washington Wizards. They enter their game on Tuesday vs. the Toronto Raptors as the only winless team in the league. If Washington doesn’t beat Toronto, don’t expect to see this winning streak go by the boards on Wednesday night. A trip to Chciago's United Center is on deck, and the Wizards are sure to be tremendous underdogs against the Bulls.

Washington isn’t just 0-8 SU this year, but 2-6 ATS as well. Because the offense is only averaging 84.9 PPG, the ‘under’ is a rock solid 7-1 in Wizards games.

The ‘under’ is 18-8 in Washington’s last 26 games against Central Division foes, and in the last 16 games in this series, the ‘under’ is 14-2.

The Bulls are going to try to extend their 6-2 ATS mark in their last eight games, while extending a three-game winning streak both SU and ATS in this series. This duel in the Windy City is set for 8:00 (ET).

There are a number of other fantastic games on the Wednesday night hoops schedule as well. The Atlanta Hawks try to become the first team this season to beat the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse at 7:00 (ET), while their division rivals, the Miami Heat continue their West Coast trip with their date against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Miami/LA game is the second game of an ESPN doubleheader, which gets started when the Dallas Mavericks meet the Boston Celtics at TD Garden at 8:00 p.m. (ET).

The rest of the games on the Wednesday slate includes Sacramento Kings at the Toronto Raptors, the Oklahoma City Thunder in New Orleans to meet the Hornets, the Houston Rockets making the short trip to play the San Antonio Spurs, the New Jersey Nets at the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers on the raod at the Utah Jazz.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

The always-intense rivalry between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins highlights a light two-game NHL schedule on Wednesday night.

The Capitals started the season 7-0 before a November slump led to the firing of coach Bruce Boudreau, replacing him with Dale Hunter. Boudreau had great regular season success, but not in the playoffs, and his spotty relationship with superstar Alex Ovechkin sealed the deal.

The former gritty player Hunter hasn’t set the NHL on fire in his first time as head coach, going 9-8-1 in his 18 games. Hunter has been under a lot of pressure from the get-go, especially with Boudreau instantly hired by Anaheim, although the not-so-mighty Ducks have continued to struggle under his regime (5-9-2).

Note there have been seven league coaching changes this year, the latest with Columbus jettisoning Scott Arniel on Monday for assistant Todd Richards after an NHL-worst 11-25-5 record. Richards had a tough debut on Tuesday night at the Chicago Blackhawks as big 230 underdogs (result pending).

Washington (21-17-2, 44 points) is in third place in the Southeast Division and wouldn’t make the playoffs if it started today, but there is cause for optimism Wednesday. For starters, the team has a 4-game home winning streak and is 14-5-1 overall there compared to 7-12-1 away.

The Capitals are also 8-2 in the last 10 meetings against rival Pittsburgh. They’ve split the two this year with each winning on the other’s home ice. Both were low scoring and the ‘under’ is 6-0 in the last six meetings overall.

The Penguins (21-15-4, 46 points) are on a four-game losing streak, scoring a total of four goals. They have a Tuesday night home game with Ottawa as 160 favorites (result pending) before traveling to the nation’s capital.

Injuries are rarely an excuse in hockey, but an exception can be made in the Penguins’ case. Sidney Crosby’s long term concussion issues are well documented, but left winger James Neal (foot) and center Jordan Staal (knee) are also out several weeks after getting hurt over the weekend. Their best defenseman Kris Letang (concussion) is also out indefinitely and several others are banged up.

Evgeni Malkin (44 points) is tied for seventh in the league in scoring, but Pitt’s second-leading scorer Neal (36 points) will be badly missed and it’s hard to see where the consistent offensive punch will come from. That puts more pressure on goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, currently ranked 12th in the league with a 2.31 GAA.

Pittsburgh is 3-2-1 this year when playing the second half of back-to-back games, but this is an extremely difficult challenge with the current ailments.

Washington does have two key players questionable in defenseman Mike Green (groin) and center Nicklas Backstrom (concussion), but the health factor clearly favors the home team.

Slumping Oilers return home against New Jersey

The young Edmonton Oilers (16-22-3, 35 points) have seen a great start disappear quickly, but they at least return home to face the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday.

Edmonton got off to a great start (8-2-2) and its mouth-watering young talent appeared to skip a year or two of its development. Alas, the bottom has fallen out since early November with an 8-20-1 mark, including a grueling 1-6 road trip that just ended Saturday in Dallas.

Injuries have hurt Edmonton badly with center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (shoulder) out several weeks. Hopkins leads all rookies in scoring (35 points) and is second on the team behind Jordan Eberle (43 points). Eberle (knee) is doubtful Wednesday after getting hurt last game.

The back end is also hurting with Ryan Whitney (foot) and Tom Gilbert (ankle) both listed as questionable. Edmonton is respectable on both ends of the ice, tied for 16th in scoring defense (2.83 goals per game) and 13th in offense (2.68). That small negative goal differential would suggest a better record, but a lot of close losses have really hurt.

The Devils (23-16-2, 48 points) have had a solid start after finishing out of the playoffs last year with 81 points. This is the second of a 4-game trip that started with a 3-1 win at Pittsburgh on Saturday. A pending Tuesday affair at Calgary as slight -105 ‘dogs means they could be dragging some for the Oilers.

The Devils are 12-9-1 away this year. The ‘over’ is 10-4-1 in their last 15 road games.

New Jersey has had success at the Oilers, going 4-1 in the last five games, although losing (2-0) the most recent one last March. The ‘under’ is 4-1-1 in the last six meetings in Edmonton.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

The Wednesday NBA card is filled with 11 games for bettors to wager on. Three of the late games involve each team sitting above .500, while the night concludes with the Heat and Clippers hooking up from Staples Center. We'll start in Salt Lake City with a rematch from the third day of the season between a pair of purple squads that are playing with no rest.

Lakers at Jazz - 9:05 PM EST

Los Angeles has rebounded nicely after losing the first two games of the season to win six of their last eight. This hot stretch began with a 96-71 rout of Utah at Staples Center on December 27 as 5 ½-point favorites, as the two teams meet up again Wednesday. The venue shifts to EnergySolutions Arena, where the Jazz owns a perfect 4-0 mark, while coming off Tuesday's matchup with the Cavaliers.

The Jazz attempted 91 shots from the floor in the first meeting, but Tyrone Corbin's club scored just 46 points through the first three quarters. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol combined for 48 points, while Andrew Bynum sat out as part of his four-game suspension to start the season. However, the Lakers haven't been the same team away from Southern California, by losing at Sacramento, Denver, and Phoenix in three road contests.

Utah is 3-3 ATS as an underdog this season, while winning twice outright as a home 'dog against Philadelphia and Milwaukee. The Jazz have turned into a solid 'under' team as of late by cashing in three straight games, as Utah's defense has allowed 87 points or fewer in all three contests. The Lakers started the season as an automatic 'under' club with a 6-0 mark, but have seen the 'over' hit in three of the previous four games.

Magic at Blazers - 10:05 PM EST

Orlando continues its West Coast swing as the Magic heads to the Pacific Northwest for a showdown with the Blazers. In spite of Dwight Howard's trade demands making all the headlines for the Magic, Orlando picked up its sixth win in nine games with Sunday's victory at Sacramento as 6 ½-point favorites. Howard got into early foul trouble and finished with a season-low five points and four rebounds in just 19 minutes of play.

The Blazers are turning into one of the forces inside the Western Conference at 6-2, including a 5-0 record at the Rose Garden. Nate McMillan's team does own several impressive wins early on, including victories over the Lakers, Nuggets, and Thunder. Portland has limited five of its first eight opponents to less than 100 points, including 'unders' in four of the previous five contests.

Orlando faces its first unrested team this season as the Blazers are coming off Tuesday's game against the Clippers. The Magic finished last season at 7-10 ATS against teams playing without rest, while losing in their only opportunity as a road underdog at Oklahoma City, 97-89, as 7 ½-point 'dogs. Portland swept the season series from Orlando last season, including a 97-83 victory at the Rose Garden.

Heat at Clippers - 10:35 PM EST

Miami makes the trip down I-5 from Oakland to Los Angeles on Wednesday for the fourth of a five-game road trip. The Heat takes on the exciting Clippers for the first and only time this season, as Miami plays its fourth game with no rest (1-2 ATS). Los Angeles returns home for just their eighth contest of the season, the least amount of games played by any team through the first 2 ½ weeks.

The Heat's offense continues to roll in spite of Dwyane Wade missing three games, as Miami has eclipsed the 100-point mark in seven of nine games, while the 'over' is 6-3. Miami hasn't fared well at Staples Center by losing each of the last three road meetings with the Clippers, including a six-point defeat as seven-point 'chalk' last January.

The Clippers will be in their first back-to-back spot of the season on Wednesday, as L.A. owns an 0-2 SU/ATS record as an underdog. Los Angeles has been outrebounded in five of six games, while sitting in last place in the league in rebounds per game. The formula is simple for the Clippers as Vinny Del Negro's squad is 4-0 when allowing less than 100 points, as the Clippers have given up more than 114 points in two losses.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

There will be no shortage of star power when Miami stops into L.A. for a matchup with the new look Clippers on Wednesday night.

Both teams are traveling from the Pacific Northwest after tough losses: the Heat went to overtime in Golden State while the Clippers lost at Portland Tuesday night. Fatigue is more likely to be a factor for Miami, who has a banged-up superstar and a short bench. The Heat led by 12 after three quarters and by as many as 17 on Tuesday before blowing the game in Oakland. SG Dwyane Wade returned to the lineup for the first time in eight days because of a bruised foot. He played 37 minutes while LeBron James (43) and Chris Bosh (38) played heavy minutes as well. LOS ANGELES is the pick.

The FoxSheets have another trend working in the Clippers’ favor:

Play Against - Road favorites (MIAMI) - after having covered 3 of their last 4 against the spread, a top-level team (>=75%) playing a team with a winning record. (68-34 since 1996.) (66.7%, +30.6 units. Rating = 2*).

Wade (21.0 PPG, 5.9 APG) played well in his return to the lineup, scoring 34 thanks to 16 trips to the line at Golden State. But it’s yet to be seen how his foot will react to a back-to-back. Going with pretty much an eight-man rotation, the Heat got nearly no help from their bench, which scored just 16 points in the loss. Veterans Shane Battier and Udonis Haslem came off the bench and posted atrocious plus/minus numbers, -12 and -15 respectively. The Heat got another big game from James (29.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 7.6 APG), who had 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. But the return of Wade coincided with the disappearance of Bosh (19.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG), who had just 16 points and four rebounds against a weak Warriors front line.

The Clippers were competitive in Portland, one of the NBA’s toughest road venues. Blake Griffin (23.7 PPG, 10.6 RPG) posted another double-double (18 points, 12 rebounds), but PG Chris Paul (14.6 PPG, 8.4 APG) is still not being assertive. He scored just 11 points on nine shots with three assists on Tuesday. Perhaps the marquee matchup against the Heat will bring out a little more fire in him. He had 13 points and 19 assists in a home win over Miami with the Hornets last year.

The Clippers continued to struggle from behind the arc (6-for-23, now 31.4% on the season). The good news is that they had their best game of the season on the boards. After allowing 11.8 offensive rebounds per game through their first six games, they held Portland to just seven offensive boards on 35 misses on Tuesday night.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

The Blazers try to stay unbeaten at home when they invite Dwight Howard and the Magic for a Wednesday night showdown.

Portland is 6-0 at home this season and has won 16 of the past 17 regular-season games (14-3 ATS) at Rose Garden dating to last year. The Blazers are scoring 104.8 PPG (46% FG) at home this year, while Orlando is averaging a paltry 92.7 PPG on 42% FG on the road. In the past six meetings, Portland is 4-1-1 ATS including three straight SU victories over Orlando. And although Howard makes the Magic tough on the glass, the Blazers are 11-2 ATS versus good rebounding teams (3+ RPG margin) in the past two seasons. The pick here is PORTLAND to win and cover the small spread.

The FoxSheets show another trend steering bettors away from the Magic:

ORLANDO is 9-24 ATS (27.3%, -17.4 Units) after playing a game as a road favorite over the last 2 seasons. The average score was ORLANDO 97.1, OPPONENT 95.5 - (Rating = 2*).

The Magic have played five of their past seven games Under the Total and this three-star FoxSheets coaching trend also sides with the UNDER.

Van Gundy is 106-55 UNDER (65.8%, +45.5 Units) after one or more consecutive overs as the coach of ORLANDO. The average score was ORLANDO 100.3, OPPONENT 94.3 - (Rating = 3*).

Howard is coming off his worst game in quite some time, scoring just five points and grabbing four rebounds in 20 minutes of foul-plagued action in a 104-97 win at Sacramento on Sunday. But Howard’s limited production opened the door for others to step up, most notably Glen Davis, who pumped in 20 points (8-13 FG) and eight rebounds. Jason Richardson (22 points, five assists) and Ryan Anderson (19 points, 11 rebounds) also came through in a big way against the Kings. But this offense has been very inconsistent in the 2012 calendar year, scoring 102 points, then 78, then 103, then 83, then 104 on Sunday. The defense has been much more consistent though, allowing just 90.3 PPG (5th in NBA).

The Blazers have also played strong defense this season (93.7 PPG, 11th in NBA), especially on the perimeter where they allow a league-low 24% three-pointers. But the main reason Portland is 7-2 is because of an efficient, balanced offensive attack, averaging 99.7 PPG (6th in NBA) and shooting 80% from the foul line (2nd in NBA). Five players average double-figures in scoring, led by LaMarcus Aldridge (22.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG). His numbers have risen in the past five games (23.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG), but it was Gerald Wallace (15.6 PPG) that led Portland with 20 points in its 105-97 win over the Clippers on Tuesday. He has been incredible in six home games this season, pumping in 21.0 PPG on 65% FG, compared to a putrid 4.7 PPG on 16% FG in three road contests. Wesley Matthews (15.9 PPG) has shot 46% FG at home, and is draining threes at impressive 41% clip in all games this season. But this offense has the ability to be even more potent. Super sixth man Jamal Crawford (12.3 PPG) and PG Raymond Felton (11.1 PPG) have both been in a shooting funk over the past five games. Crawford has a woeful 29% FG over this span, and Felton isn’t much better at 33% from the floor. Felton has done a nice job taking care of the basketball though, with 34 assists and just 11 turnovers in this five-game stretch.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

The Mavs look to build on their first road win of the season when they visit a well-rested Celtics team on Wednesday night.

After losing their first three road games of the season (the final two by 17 and 22 points), Dallas cruised to a 100-86 win in Detroit on Tuesday. The Mavs, 4-1 (SU and ATS) in their past five games, continued their excellent team defense. In the past six games, no Dallas opponent has shot above 45% from the floor, averaging 89.2 PPG on 42% FG. The Celtics haven’t played since Friday, an ugly 87-74 home loss to Indiana, but none of the Dallas starters logged 30 minutes in Tuesday’s victory, so fresh legs should not be an issue in this one. And even though Jason Kidd (back) won’t play, Delonte West proved himself more than capable of running the point in Detroit with 10 assists, two turnovers and five steals. Since the 2005-06 season, the Mavs are 9-3 ATS (5-7 SU) against the Celtics, and with a moderate point spread, that trend should hold true again. Boston will likely win outright, but DALLAS, 23-8 ATS (74%) as a road underdog over the past two seasons, is the pick ATS.

The FoxSheets have a pair of three-star trends favoring the Mavericks:

DALLAS is 38-16 ATS (70.4%, +20.4 Units) after having won 4 or 5 of their last 6 games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was DALLAS 99.7, OPPONENT 94.2 - (Rating = 3*).

Play Against - Home favorites (BOSTON) - an average offensive team (92-98 PPG) against an average defensive team (92-98 PPG), after a loss by 10 points or more. (58-25 over the last 5 seasons.) (69.9%, +30.5 units. Rating = 3*).

Dirk Nowitzki posted an incredible +42 rating in his 28 minutes of action on Tuesday, finishing with a team-high 18 points (9-10 FG) and seven rebounds. Six other Mavs scored 9+ points during the balanced attack. Nowitzki has always enjoyed facing Boston in his career, pumping in 27.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG and 3.1 APG in 24 lifetime meetings. The scoring average is his highest versus any opponent in his NBA career, helped by 31.2 PPG (57% FG) in his past five meetings with the Celtics. SG Jason Terry continues to provide a lift off the bench, as he’s second on the team with 13.8 PPG. Terry has been the team’s lone marksman from three-point land (44%), as the rest of the Mavs are a pathetic 25% from downtown this year. SG Vince Carter (9.1 PPG) is finally starting to find his rhythm though, connecting on 9-of-18 FG in his past two games. He started the season in a 20-of-58 funk (35%). Dallas is still waiting for offseason acquisition Lamar Odom to get comfortable with his new team. So far Odom is shooting a laughable 28% FG (21-for-75) including 5-of-31 (16%) from three-point range.

The Celtics offense was horrendous in Friday’s 87-74 loss, especially Paul Pierce (3-of-17 FG). Pierce also had five turnovers in the defeat. It’s been a rough season for Pierce (39% FG), but he usually plays well against Dallas in his career with 22.0 PPG on 46% FG. In contrast to Pierce, Ray Allen has been lights-out on the offensive end all season. He leads the team with 20.4 PPG on 58% FG, including an amazing 63% from three-point land. Allen had 23 (7-of-11 FG) of his team’s 74 points in Friday’s loss. Three other Celtics are shooting better than 50% this year -- Rajon Rondo (14.8 PPG, 52% FG), Kevin Garnett (12.9 PPG, 52% FG) and Brandon Bass (12.9 PPG, 53% FG). Rondo continues to be a great ball distributor (10.5 APG), but he’s committed a career-high 4.1 turnovers per game. His decision making will be key against an improving Mavs defense.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

What was once the premier rivalry in the NHL has lost much of its luster as the Penguins and Capitals both struggle to win games due to key injuries this season. Both teams look to snap losing streaks when they meet in D.C. on Wednesday night.

The Caps and Pens split the first two matchups this season, with each team picking up its respective win on the road. Given how tightly contested this rivalry has been, it is a bit shocking that the Caps are 11-1-2 over the past 14 meetings, with the Pens picking up their first regulation victory in that stretch last month. The Penguins have lost five in a row—tying the longest losing winless streak of Dan Bylsma’s tenure as head coach—mustering just one goal in four of the five games. Pittsburgh has been absolutely ravaged by injuries—none more notable than the one to captain Sidney Crosby, out indefinitely for the second time with concussion symptoms. The Caps just can’t seem to get on a roll, dropping their past two after winning four in a row. They will be without leading scorer Nicklas Backstrom (concussion), who was placed on IR Wednesday morning, and top defenseman Mike Green (groin). With so much firepower out of the lineup for both squads, expect a tight-checking, low-scoring game. The UNDER (-130) is the best play as two desperate teams try to eek out a victory.

This four-star FoxSheets trend also favors the Under.

Play Under - Any team against the total (PITTSBURGH) - after allowing 3 goals or more 3 straight games against opponent after allowing 5 goals or more 2 straight games. (34-7 over the last 5 seasons.) (82.9%, +26.7 units. Rating = 4*).

Even without Crosby for all but eight games, the Penguins have been successful finding the back of the net, averaging 3.0 goals per game (8th in NHL). Recent losing skid aside, C Evgeni Malkin (17 G, 28 A) is quietly having a terrific season, leading all Pittsburgh scorers.

The Pens injuries go way beyond Crosby, with third-line C Jordan Staal (15 G, 6 A) out 4-to-6 weeks with a knee injury. Top defenseman Kris Letang (3 G, 16 A) has been out of the lineup since November 26 with a concussion, and has no timetable for a return.

LW Alex Ovechkin (17 G, 16 A) may be the face of the franchise, but no player is more valuable to Washington than Backstrom (13 G, 29 A). The Swedish center leads the team in points and is the steady pivot on a team with little depth up the middle. Although the Capitals have not explicitly labeled the injury a concussion, Backstrom has missed the past two games after taking a cheap shot elbow to the head from Flames forward Rene Bourque.

The Caps’ lack of depth at center should not be overshadowed by the weak defense General Manager George McPhee has assembled; allowing an average of 3.0 goals per game (23rd in NHL). Green has played just 10 games all season, and unless a midseason trade is made to shore up the blue line, the Caps will be in danger of missing the playoffs.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

No. 2 Kentucky plays just its second true road game of the year when it visits Auburn on Wednesday. The Wildcats have won seven straight games overall and 12 straight meetings with Auburn.

Kentucky doesn’t usually blow out the Tigers (12.5 PPG margin in past 12 meetings), especially at Auburn Arena. The ‘Cats have five straight road wins in Auburn, but these victories have come by the slimmest of margins (7, 9, 9, 3 and 5 points). The Tigers are currently 9-0 SU (1-1 ATS) at home this season, limiting their opponents to a mere 58.8 PPG. The young Kentucky squad is 1-11 ATS in its past 12 games and has played just once on the road all season, losing at Indiana in a game where it committed 16 turnovers. Auburn has the ability to rattle the UK backcourt with its 6.9 steals per game, and should be able to cover what could be a defensive struggle at home. Play on AUBURN for the ATS victory.

This rare five-star FoxSheets trend also backs the Tigers:

KENTUCKY is 0-9 ATS (-9.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season. The average score was KENTUCKY 77.0, OPPONENT 60.0 - (Rating = 5*).

The Wildcats have been incredibly efficient on offense this year, ranking 12th in the nation in points (80.9 PPG) and 15th in field-goal percentage (49.1% FG). Six Kentucky players average 10+ points, led by Doron Lamb (14.6 PPG). He has scored at least eight points in every game this year, but has averaged only seven shot attempts over his past five contests. Freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (13.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG) has been attacking the glass lately, with 35 rebounds in his past three games. Fellow frosh Anthony Davis (12.7 PPG) leads the team with 10.6 RPG and has posted five straight double-doubles (15.4 PPG, 12.0 RPG). But his biggest value has come on the defensive end where Davis leads the nation with 4.6 blocks per game. Terrence Jones has seen a statistical drop in his sophomore season (11.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG) as compared to his brilliant freshman campaign (15.7 PPG, 8.8 RPG). This dip is partly due to a finger injury, but Jones scored 20 points on 8-9 FG in Saturday’s win over South Carolina, and dropped a career-high 35 points on Auburn in last year’s 78-54 win. Freshman Marquis Teague (10.8 PPG) and senior Darius Miller (10.2 PPG) are the other Wildcats averaging double-figures.

Auburn also has a balanced offensive attack with five players averaging between 9.2 PPG and 11.9 PPG. Although the team’s offense was dreadful in the past two losses (45.5 PPG on 30% FG), it has been much more efficient at home this year (73.2 PPG on 48% FG), winning all nine games by an average of 14.4 PPG. Senior PF Kenny Gabriel leads the team in both scoring (11.9 PPG) and rebounding (7.8 PPG) and was the team’s best player against Kentucky last year with 13 points and nine boards in 28 minutes of action. SG Frankie Sullivan (11.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG) has struggled with his shot all year (40% FG), and is a dreadful 4-of-20 (1-of-9 threes) in his past two games. Guard Chris Denson (10.7 PPG) had a team-high seven points in the 65-35 loss at Vanderbilt Saturday and is averaging 12.8 PPG in his past four contests. He is the team’s best three-point shooter, connecting at a 39% clip from downtown. C Rob Chubb (9.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG) and PG Varez Ward (9.2 PPG, 4.1 APG) are the other two main contributors for Auburn.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

Syracuse takes its perfect record on the road to face struggling Villanova in Philly on Wednesday for one of the Big East’s best traditional rivalry games.

The No. 1-ranked Orange have cruised through their first four Big East games, and boast an impressive 4-1 ATS record away from home this year. Syracuse is 3-1 ATS in league play, failing to cover its most recent matchup with Marquette—a 73-66 win with a 10.5-point spread. Opposing defenses have had no success trying to stop the Orange’s potent offense, ranking 12th in the country in FG percentage (49.3%). This mark, surprisingly, is even better away from home, climbing to 54.1%. Villanova is a dreadful 3-10 ATS on the season, and 1-4 ATS in home games. The Wildcats have struggled to find an identity without Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes running the backcourt, and have allowed 70+ points in all four Big East games. That’s a bad recipe leading into a matchup with a scary team as deep as the Orange. SYRACUSE is the pick to win and cover on the road.

This pair of highly-rated FoxSheets trends also favor the Orange:

VILLANOVA is 1-12 ATS (-12.2 Units) versus good 3 point shooting teams - making >=37% of their attempts over the last 2 seasons. The average score was VILLANOVA 69.2, OPPONENT 70.3 - (Rating = 4*).

Play On - Favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (SYRACUSE) - an excellent defensive team (<=63 PPG) against an average defensive team (67-74 PPG), after leading in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half. (68-35 over the last 5 seasons.) (66%, +29.5 units. Rating = 2*).

The Orange have overwhelmed opponents with some incredible offensive depth, with 10 different players averaging 10+ minutes. Sophomore guard Dion Waiters (12.5 PPG) is arguably Syracuse’s best scorer—and he comes off the bench. Senior forward Kris Joseph (14.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG) leads all scorers for the Orange, who had six players score in double-figures in an 87-73 road win over Providence last Wednesday. The emergence of 7-foot sophomore center Fab Melo (7.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG) may be the key to Cuse’s success. Melo is an intimidating force on defense (2.9 blocks per game) and has improved his offensive game tremendously since last year.

Villanova junior guard Maalik Wayns (17.4 PPG, 4.8 APG) has jumped into the lead role for the Wildcats, who have yet to beat a quality opponent this season. Wayns led Villanova with 21 points in an upset at No. 3 Syracuse last year, but followed that up a month later with a 1-for-9 shooting day in a home loss to the Orange. Nova’s lone conference win came on Sunday, an 87-71 win over perennial Big East doormat DePaul. If the Wildcats hope to pull off the upset on Wednesday, they must find a way to penetrate the lethal 2-3 zone defense Syracuse employs. Look for Wayns and fellow guard Dominic Cheek (11.8 PPG) to work the ball inside to junior center Mouphtaou Yarou (12.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG). Yarou has the size and experience to post up on Syracuse’s big men, and if he can get Melo into the foul trouble, the Wildcats will have an easier time scoring points in the paint.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

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